Andy Hessenthaler suffered his first defeat as Leyton Orient’s interim boss as the East Londoners lost ground in the League Two play-off race going down 3-1 at home to Plymouth.

The result leaves the Os five points behind Wimbledon in the race for the final play-off slot, with just three left to play.

Orient had only themselves to blame for their latest disappointment. They could not defend Graham Carey’s set pieces and paid the price.

He put two goals on a plate for Peter Hartley and Jake Jervis to give the Pilgrims a 2-0 lead and even though Lloyd James pulled one back from the penalty spot – Orient’s first successful penalty in six attempts – Jervis added his second in injury time to kill off their hopes after a mistake from Mathieu Baudry.

With both sides battling for big prizes, Plymouth chasing automatic promotion and Orient hoping to keep their play-off bid alive after just one win in five, it was a match that promised plenty. And home fans were licking their lips during an enterprising opening.

Their side began on the front foot forcing two corners in the opening five minutes as their movement and incisive passing caused Plymouth all sorts of trouble.

Jay Simpson might have opened the scoring after just four minutes when he evaded the Plymouth defence to ghost in at the back post to meet James’ tantalising cross, but from a tight angle he could not adjust his body sufficiently to turn the ball into an empty net.

But having weathered Orient’s early storm, which blew out all too quickly, Argyle started to stitch their own passing game together and Reuben Reid took advantage of some sloppy defending to pull back to Carey whose shot was saved by Alex Cisak.

Minutes later, the Orient keeper needed the woodwork to come to his rescue as Ben Purrington’s delicate chip from the angle of the box smacked the crossbar.

Plymouth were in control and enjoying the lion’s share of possession, while Orient’s game became more ragged and their neat early passing was replaced by long balls which weren’t finding their target.

The O’s had another let-off midway through the half when Curtis Nelson got his boot on the end of Carey’s free-kick into the six yard box, but he could not direct it into the net.

Argyle and Carey were making life increasingly uncomfortable and from his next free kick, Carey went for goal and his low effort missed the target by just a matter of inches.

The Devonians were forced into an early change on 35 minutes with Jervis replacing striker Reid but it did not disrupt the pattern and whenever Orient were given a brief sniff they soon found themselves crowded out by willing men in green and white shirts.

Nicky Hunt thought he had unlocked the door with a mazy dribble in a rare moment for Orient but his pull-back was blocked by a defender as Argyle continued to be first to the balls that mattered.

Plymouth had been the dominant force and they finally made it count in first-half injury time with Carey’s free-kick picking out Peter Hartley arriving unattended in the six yard area to stab in a deserved opener to the delight of the 1,037 Plymouth fans.

Orient have become used to their season not following the script so with 45 minutes to turn it round there was no need for panic but they knew they needed to find something different to change the course of this encounter.

Armand Gnanduillet’s eyes lit up when James’ corner picked him out but his header fell straight into the gloves of Plymouth keeper Luke McCormick while, at the other end, Carey warmed the gloves of Cisak who gathered at the second attempt.

Gnanduillet was replaced by Ollie Palmer just after the hour mark as the O's sought a route back into the game and Palmer was soon involved, releasing Blair Turgott down the left. Turgott advanced into the box where he was sent tumbling and as O's fans cheered for a penalty Turgott was booked for going down too easily.

It was a decision which incensed the home fans and sparked their team into life. But, despite enjoying more possession, the Londoners were finding chances hard to come by.

Plymouth were the team with the game changer in their ranks and that man Carey swung into action again on 78 minutes bending a delicious free kick into the area for Jake Jervis to meet with a diving header to double the Pilgrims advantage as, again, the Orient defence went AWOL.

But just five minutes later and it was game on again. Ollie Palmer was brought down in the box and James ended Orient’s penalty horrors by sending the keeper the wrong way.

The crowd sensed a comeback and with six minutes of injury time added on the chance was there.

But the O’s hopes of pulling it out of the fire were snuffed out in that stoppage time as Jervis slotted into an empty net with Cisak left in no-man’s land having committed himself after Argyle had capitalised on Baudrey’s mistake.